Automatic electric igniter for orchard-heaters.



T. CHAPMAN; AUTOMATIC ELEGTRIU IGNITER FOR ORCHARD HEATERS.

APPLIUATION FILED JAN.13,1909.

' Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

' a SHEETS-SHEET 1.

- w I g T. CHAPMAN. AUTOMATIG ELEGTRIG IGNITBR FOR ORCHARD HEATERS.

APPLTUATION FILED JAN.18, 1909. V 983,979. Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

3 SHEET8- SHEET 2.

T. CHAPMAN. AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC IGNI'1 ER FOR ORCHARD HEATERS APPLICATION FILED JAN. 13, 1909.

1 983,979. Patented Feb.'14, 1911.

' A 1 I 3SHEBTS-SHEET3.

E5 1 T H1 1 q 5 7 a s Q $1 k a Q z.)

THOMAS CHAPMAN, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

anroma'rxc nnncirnrc IGNITER FOR oncrmnn-nnernns.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 13, 1909. Serial m. 472,142.

To all whom it my concern:

Be it known that I, .THOMAS CHAPMAN,

V acitizen of the United States, residing in with the destruction of the fusible device which normally holds the coverin the. closed' the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful llnprovementsin Automatic Electric lgniters for Orchard-Heaters; and I do declare the followin r to be a full, clear, and exact description ot the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and. use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a.

part of this specification."

My invention relates to improvements in electrical apparatus for automatically igniting orchard heaters or. other similar devices. I v

In many sections off the country it has become necessary to employ. heatersin certain localities in order to protect orchards,

fruit-bearing shrubbery generally and other vegetation from the destructive effects of frosts in the early fallxand late spring. It is customary to distribute comparatively small heating devices at suitable intervals in the localities to be thus protected. It is important that these heating devices should be normally charged with fuel, and also properly protected by closures to preventthe entrance of moisture due to storms, and also dust and other foreign particles of matter when the devices are not in use.

The object of my improvement is to provide means whereby each heating device of a series of these devices has its cover normall y held in the closed position by a fusible-- device located in an electrical circuit which is automatically closed through the instrumentality of a thermostat, when the temperuture of the locality to be protected .be-

comes snlticiently low to make it necessary or desirable to usethe heating devices.- liach cover retained 1n the closed 'posltion.

by the fusible device, as aforesaid, is provided' with a weight which automatically throws it to the open position as soon as the fusible lock is destroyed. Provision is'also.

made whereby the fuel, as oil,-of each heater automatically ignited simultaneously position.

llaving briefly outlined my improvement,

I; will proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being made to the accompanying ment thereof.

In this drawing, Figure l is an elevation of a heating dcvlcc equipped in accordance with my improvement. Fig. 2- is a horizontal section taken on the line'Q-Q, Fig. 1. Fig. 3'is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3, Fig.1. Fig. 1 is a sect-ion of a heater also equipped in accordance with my imrovement. This section' is taken on the inc-4:4, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail. view illustrating the circuit closing apparatus with which each heater is equ pped. Fig.' 6 is a detail viewillustrating an automatic cut-cit employed in connection .with "the apparatus. detail view illustrating a fusible link or locking device shown upon a larger scale. Flg. 8 is a diagrammatic-view illustrating the complete system or the operation of my lmprovedigniter when applied toa series of heaters,'as heretofore outlined.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate an orchard heater of any suitable construction. As illustrated in the drawing, this heater is provided with a quantity of fuel oil 6. It also has a cover 7 hinged at 8 and provided with an arm 9 having a weight 10 so arranged as to have-a tendency to throw the cover to the open position, or that indicated by dotted linesin Fig.4, when a fusible link 12 is destroyed. This link is connected with a hook or ring 13 with which the cover is provided at a point opposite the location of the weighted arm. The link also engages a hook l of a spring contact 15 which is normally held out of engagement with a contact 16. The contact 15 is connected by a suitable fastening device 17 with an insnlats ing block 18 mounted on the heater. As shown in the drawing, this block is mounted upon a band 19 surrounding the upper extremity'of the heater and normally held in place thereon by leaf springs 20 which engage a circumferential bead 21 with which the top of the heater is provided.

The contact '16 has a shallow pan 22 at its free extremity, in which is placed a small quantity of powder 23 which is ignited by the electric spark resulting from the jumpi ing of the current between the contacts 15 Patented Feb. 14., 1911.

drawing in which is illustrated an embodi-- Fig. 7 is atacle.

ing a wick 24, and the comprising a primary coil 27 and a secondary coil 28, indicated by dotted lines. I also employ an automatic cut-out 29 and an electric bell 30. This bell may be located at any desired distance from the thermostat and other apparatus; as, for instance, at the home ofthe person'having charge of the orchard. This bell is so arranged that as as the '39 'of the electric main circuit 1s closed by the movement of and bar 31 of the thermostat,

whereby it is'brought into contact with a screw 32, the bell willring andnotify any one in the vicinity thereof that the igniting mechanism} is performing its work. The

operation of the device. will perhaps be best.

understood.by"referring .to Fi 8, which, as heretofore indicated, is large y diagrammatic. In this view the numeral 3 designates a suitable sourceof electricity. From a. pole 33 ofthis circuit leads a wire 34 to a switch arm (35 pivoted at 36 and -adapted to engage a-contact 37.- From the contact 37.1eads a conductor 38 to a binding'post bell 30. From another post-40 leads a wire 41 to a binding post 42 which is attached to the'thermostat bar 31. From the screw 32 leads a conductor 43 to a binding post 44 of the induction coil 26. From this binding post leads a conductor45 which merges into the primary coil 27 of.the induction 26. One extremity of the secondary coil 28 is connected with the primary coil as shown at 47, while the opposite extremity of the secondary coil leads to a binding post 48; From the binding post 18 leads a conductor 49 to a fastening device 50 mounted upon the insulating block 18 '0f one of a series of heaters 5. The fastenin device 50 also connects the contact 16 with the said insulating block 18. The electric current forms a spark between the powder 23 in the pan 22 and the hook 14 of the spring contact 15, which is normally hel diout "of contact by the fusible link or locking device 12,, The induction current passes from the contact 15 to a spring contact 51 which engages the contact 15 when the latter is-gheld out of engagement with the contact 16, or before the fusible device 12 is destroyed. From this contact 51, which is connected with the metal top 7 of the heater, the current passes through the metal band 19 and thence through a metal line '52 which extends downwardly from the said band and is grounded by a conductor 53, asshown at 54. Then the circuit is completed through the ground, as indicated by the dotted arrows 55 and 56, passing through the ground 57 to a conductor 58, and thence to a conductor SQ-leading to a contact 60 which engages. a contact 61 from which leads a conductor 62 to the opposite pole 63 of the electric source 3,. As soon as the fusible device 12 is destroyed, the contact 15 is released and springs downwardly into engagement with the pan 22 (see Figs 5) Duringthe sparl'ing operation, and during the combustion of the powder 23, the

fusible. device 12 is melted and also the wick 24 which results in igniting the fuel 6, as heretofore explained. The engagement of the contacts 15 and 16 closes the circuit through the fasteningdevice 17 and a conductor'tA which leads to another fastening device 50 and thence to a contact 16 of another heater 5,

with the result that the powder 23 is ignited, the fusible device 12 being melted from the combustion of the:

ow er and the wick 24 lighted, resulting ously-with tact 15 of what may be' termed the second heater, springs into engagement with the contact 16, wherebythe to pass th m the igniting of the fueloiL' Simultane this operation the spring 'eon' current is allowed rough a conductor 65 .which leads to the contact 16 of a third heater, whence it passes by way of a 'cond-uctor66 to a fourth heater, and so on.

As shown in the drawing, a-conductor 67 leadsfrom therfourth to the fifth or'last heater. From the fastening device 17 of the contact 15, a conductor 68 leads to a contact 69 which is separated from a spring contact 70 which is'held out of engagement with the cont-act '69 by a fusible link 71. The jumping of the current will ignite the powder on contact 69 which will'destroy the link 71, allowing the spring contact 70 to engage the contact 69 thus completing a circuit through these contacts to a fastening device 72. During the jumping of the current between the contacts 69 and 70, the current is grounded through conductors 59 and 58, as shown at 57. As soon as the fusible device 71 is destroyed, the contact 60 springs out of engagement with the con-.

tact 61, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig.

is o

fusible link 12 is destroyed, after which the current passes to the next heater, and so on throughout the entire series, the cover of each heater being automatically thrown to the open position, whereby the oil or other fuel is ignited and free to burnwithout' interference from the cover or closure.

It will beunderstood that after the fuel of allthe heaters of any series has been ignited, the oil will burn untilthe entire quantity is consumed, unless the fire isex- 'tinguished, which may be readily done if it is not necessary toburn the entire quantity of fuel. In any event, in order to. re-prepare the scenes of heaters forautomatic 1gnition, the covers must be closed and connected with the contact15 by the fusible link 12, as heretofore explained, a quantity of powder being placed in the pan22, as ,will .be readily understood. It is evident that instead ofusing powder, anymaterial or substance which shall be sufficiently infiannnable for the purpose may be em ployed.

The fusible link 1.2 may be composed of any material which may be readily fused. 1t isbelieved that celluloid may be advantageously employed. This material is also of sufficient strength when hardened to hold the cover of the heater in the closed position against the action of the weighted arm 9, or lts equivalent It must be understood,

however, that I am not limited toany specific material for use in this connection.

I prefer to form the fuel receptacle of pottery material, whichis a good insulator and therefore is believed preferable for this purpose. The fuel receptacle is'equipped at its bottonr with a depending rod or pm A, whose free extremity is pointed whereby it will readily enter the earth to sufficient depth to support the receptacle in the up right. position under all ordinary circumstances.

It will be understood that any desired.

number of heaters or fuel receptacles may be located in the same electrical circuit f0 the purposes of ignition.

" y no i There is avertically disposed metal fine 52 attached toeach side of the fuel receptacle. These fiues are open ended. They are secured at their upper extremities to the metal. band19. \Vhen the cover is raised or inthe position indicated by dotted lines 1n Fig. 4., the cover will have a-tendency to prevent wind or drafts or airextendlngm a direction to strike eitherthe front or rear surface of the cover, from mterfermg with.

the aforesaid direction, or across the top of bydotted lines in Fig.4, assoon as the. the receptacle in front. of the raised cover,

-.'52 is to overcome this difliculty as far as possible.

As shown in the drawing, the upper edge of the receptacle 5 is provided with a slot or opening B, through which the wick 24 passes. The band 19 is also slotted, as shown at C, for the purpose.

Having thus what I claim is:

1. The combination of a series of fuel receptacles, a circuit, a pan located in the circuit and mounted on each fuel receptacle described .my invention,

and containing a quantity of inflammable a material. a contact normally located in the circuit, a fusible device connected with the said: contact for holding the latter out of engagement with the pan, a cover for the receptacle and having a tendency to open, the said fusible devicebeing also connected with the cover to hold it in the'closed posi-' tion, means mounted on each receptacle for grounding the current during the melting of the fusible device, the said contact being arranged to engage the pan and close the main circuit whenunrestrained by the fusible device, each receptacle having a wick leading to the fuel and arranged to be fired by electric ignition, substantially as described.

The combination with an electric circuit, a series of fuel receptacles. having covcrs normally held in the openposition, a fusible device for retaining the cover of each receptacle in the closed position, means located in the circuit for melting the fusible device, a wick leading fronr the means for melting the fusible device to the fuel receptacle, and means for closing the circuit whereby the fusible devices are destroyed and all the covers allowed to open simultaneously with the igniting of the fuel of the receptacle. substantially as described.

3.1The combination of a series of fuel receptacles having hinged covers, means attached to each cover for openingthe same when unrestrained, an electric circuit, a fusible restraining. device, means located in the circuit for melting the fusible restraining device and means for automatically closing the circuit wherebyall of the said fusible devices are destroyed, permitting the covers to'open, substantiallyt-is described.

4. A fuel receptacle having a hinged cover weighted to cause it to open When unrestrained, a fusible restraining device, an

electric circuit, means located in the circuit for melting the fusible restraining device "fusible restraining devices for the several covers, an electric circuit in which all of the said fusible devices are located, means also located in the circuit for melting the fuses, means for automatically closing saidcircuit, and wicks leading from the fusible devices to the fuel of the several receptacles, substantially as described.

6. A fuel receptacle,- a cover, means mounted thereon for normally holding the cover in the open position, a fusible device for holding the cover in-the closed position against the action of its restraining means, an electrical circuit, means located in the circuit in close proximity to the fusible device for melting the same, and means for closing said circuit whereby the-fusible device is destroyed by said means and the cover allowed to open, substantially as described. p

7 The combination of a fuel receptacle composed of pottery material, a metallic band surrounding the upperextremity of the receptacle, means for retaining-the band thereon, a cover hinged to the band, a weight connected with the cover and normally having a tendencyfto throw it to the open posi-,

tion, a, fusible link for retaining the cover in the closed position against the action of its weight, an induction circuit, means for closing said circuit, and means acted on by the closing of the eircuitiwhereby the link is destroyed and the cover allowed to as-- THOMAS CHAPMAN;

Witnesses A. J. OBRIEN, A. Ennn'r O.BRIEN. 

